Norris’ lap was briefly removed for surpassing track conditions, giving Lewis Hamilton hope of securing pole position. However, the lap of the McLaren driver was reinstated, ultimately securing him pole position.
Hamilton had to settle for second place, which is not a bad outcome considering the recent struggles of the seven-time F1 champion and his under-performing Mercedes W15.
Fernando Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, achieved the third fastest time, showcasing the value of his experience on a day when even the best drivers were caught off guard by the rain. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, had a disappointing performance and finished fourth after struggling on the wet track.
Managing the session was challenging due to the constantly evolving and green track. Ideally, the drivers would have waited until the track was at its most evolved before setting a lap time. However, there was also the risk of encountering Yellow/Red flags and rain.
In the end, the rain played a decisive role, making the Chinese Grand Prix return to the F1 calendar a thrilling spectacle.
LANDO NORRIS CLAIMS #F1SPRINT POLE POSITION!!
The scenes in Shanghai were truly extraordinary 🤯#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/3oEWFIVVxY
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2024
Speaking after qualifying, Norris expressed his immense satisfaction, thanking the entire team. He acknowledged the challenges posed by the unpredictable weather conditions, stating that he had to take risks and push to build tire temperature. Although he encountered some difficulties with the Ferraris, he managed to deliver a strong final lap.
Norris emphasized his contentment with his performance, despite the unconventional nature of the qualifying session. He acknowledged that he had to make the most of the limited three laps available, aborting the first two and giving his all on the final lap. However, the increasingly wet conditions made it more challenging, causing him to make a few mistakes and experience aquaplaning.
When asked about his prospects in the Sprint race, Norris admitted that he couldn’t predict the outcome. He highlighted the team’s efforts to understand the consecutive laps conducted during the morning practice session. The weather conditions would play a significant role, but Norris expressed confidence in both wet and dry conditions, emphasizing the strong pace of the car and his own comfort behind the wheel.
Overall, Norris was pleased with his position and believed that the team had performed admirably, setting them up for a competitive race.
The final stage of Sprint qualifying commenced under rainy conditions, requiring the use of Intermediate tires.
Shortly after the start, Charles Leclerc experienced a spin when he applied throttle and collided with the barriers. He expressed concern about his front wing via radio communication. Meanwhile, a replay revealed that Verstappen also went off track as the drivers grappled with the treacherous weather conditions.
Verstappen’s initial lap was invalidated due to exceeding track limits at Turn 6. Both Verstappen and Hamilton had less than three minutes remaining to set another lap. Verstappen went off track again on his second attempt, while Norris had a significant incident in the final corner during a promising lap. Consequently, their lap times were deleted.
Despite the use of Intermediate tires by all drivers, including Leclerc and Verstappen, no one could find sufficient grip on the track.
In the end, Norris achieved the fastest lap time of 1:57.940, surpassing Hamilton by 1.261 seconds, with Alonso in third place, 1.975 seconds behind the leader.
Verstappen secured the fourth fastest time with a 2:00.028, trailing Norris by two seconds and beating Carlos Sainz by 0.186 seconds, who claimed fifth place in the Ferrari.
Sergio Perez recorded the sixth fastest time in the other Red Bull, ahead of Leclerc, who finished seventh in the #16 Ferrari.
Oscar Piastri achieved the eighth fastest time in the other McLaren, although team boss Andrea Stella revealed that the Australian encountered a brief gearbox issue that hindered his final lap. This was unfortunate as Piastri had been performing well until that point.
Valtteri Bottas secured the ninth fastest time, while local favorite Zhou Guanyu achieved his best performance of the year, finishing tenth to the delight of the Chinese spectators.
As the rain intensified and a fire was extinguished at Turn 5, SQ2 commenced. The drivers hurriedly took to the track on Medium compound tires in an attempt to set a dry lap time before the weather deteriorated further.
Magnussen received a radio communication informing him that the rain would not intensify until five minutes into the ten-minute session.
After queuing in the pitlane, the cars ventured onto the track, with Norris leading the pack. The Red Bull drivers, on the other hand, took their time and exited their garages once their rivals were already on track.
After the first runs, the top ten positions were occupied by Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Piastri, Norris, Sainz, Bottas, Alonso, Hamilton, and Zhou.
With two minutes remaining, the rain arrived, preventing any further improvements. Russell was the most affected, as he initially achieved the 11th fastest time but was unable to make another attempt due to the worsening weather conditions.
Verstappen led the way into SQ3 with a time of 1:35.606, ahead of Leclerc by 0.105 seconds, and Perez in third place, trailing the Ferrari by 0.070 seconds.
Zhou’s qualification for SQ3 prompted an enthusiastic response from the home crowd.
Zhou provided Chinese fans with a reason to celebrate as he secured a place in SQ3, leaving Russell as the first of the unsuccessful drivers. Russell will start the Sprint from 11th on the grid, missing out by a mere 0.038 seconds.
Kevin Magnussen achieved the 12th fastest time, trailing Russell by 0.128 seconds and edging out teammate Nico Hulkenberg by 0.005 seconds, who settled for 13th place.
Daniel Ricciardo also failed to advance, finishing as the 14th fastest, but he did manage to outperform his teammate for a change. Additionally, he was ahead of Lance Stroll, who claimed 15th place.
The session commenced under dry conditions, although there was a 60% chance of rain. The track temperature reached 29 degrees Celsius, while the ambient temperature stood at 20 degrees.
Adhering to the regulations, drivers could only utilize the Medium compound in SQ1 and SQ2, resulting in all cars being equipped with Yellow Pirelli tires.
Without wasting any time, the drivers lined up in the pitlane, eagerly awaiting the green light at the pit exit to commence their action on the track.
A mere three minutes into the session, Piastri in the McLaren reported light raindrops, while Russell requested his team to inform him if any drivers were “going off,” as the rain intensified.
📻 Reports of spots of rain
Definitely not sweat this time 😅#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/eacNPIjjSH
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2024
As the drivers completed laps, the times gradually decreased due to improved grip on the track. Each driver aimed to set competitive lap times in case the rain intensified.
Logan Sargeant complained of being impeded by Pierre Gasly in the Alpine, with the latter experiencing a brief loss of control moments later in the final corner.
Apart from minor adjustments on their cars, the drivers remained on the track, continuously completing laps. As the tires improved and the track became grippier, lap times dropped.
Sainz promptly reported Kevin Magnussen’s Haas for obstructing him on the racing line, requesting a penalty for the Danish driver.
Ultimately, Perez led the pack into SQ2, securing the fastest time, 0.274 seconds ahead of Norris in second place. Verstappen settled for third place, trailing his teammate by 0.346 seconds.
Gasly was the first to be eliminated, finishing 16th fastest in the Alpine, followed by Esteban Ocon, who trailed by 0.088 seconds in 17th place. Alex Albon claimed 18th place in the Williams.
Yuki Tsunoda settled for 19th place, while Ricciardo managed to progress to the next round. Sargeant found himself once again in last place.
Just as the cars were returning to the pits, a fire broke out, this time in the grass on the side of Turn five. How peculiar!